The COVID-2019 Thread

[Switch]

To be equitable, the distribution of surplus vaccines, and funding for the programme, should be the responsibility of the WHO Covax scheme.

While the US taxation of citizens living overseas, makes a case for those citizens to be offered help, it seems unlikely that Prayuo Chan-Ocha would admit that Thailand requires any assistance from another country, or international organisation.

Thailand is special, and is perfectly capable of mismanaging its own vaccine mess.

[Norton]

While the US taxation of citizens living overseas, makes a case for those citizens to be offered help, it seems unlikely that Prayuo Chan-Ocha would admit that Thailand requires any assistance from another country, or international organisation.

He may well do exactly as you say but does not preclude US Embassy offering jabs to it's citizens.

[Switch]

He may well do exactly as you say but does not preclude US Embassy offering jabs to it's citizens.

I agree, but I suspect that Embassy staff have been restricted in what help they can offer. As you pointed out, they were quite happy to drop the authorization of citizens funding. Despite the fact that there is a moral case in favour of the embassy supporting US taxpayers living overseas, it’s a bigger can of worms to open on a global basis?

[panama hat]

Also, who in he embassy would be qualified to give the jabs?

Storage?

How many doses per location (and there are hundreds of locations around the world)

Tourists?

Travellers?

Expats?

Dual Citizens?



It's simply not in an embassy's/consulate's spectrum to do that

[Norton]

who in he embassy would be qualified to give the jabs?

None but they would be key in getting jab sites, storage and proper number of doses in country. Same way the Chinese via it's embassy have done with their citizens.

Bottom line, a fair amount of work for embassy. Hence, ain't going to happen.

[panama hat]

None but they would be key in getting jab sites, storage and proper number of doses in country. Same way the Chinese via it's embassy have done with their citizens.

China hasn't ensured their citizens abroad are vaccinated in most places

Bottom line, a fair amount of work for embassy. Hence, ain't going to happen.

Having grown up in that environment I'd suggest that isn't a fair assumption . . . can't ask a plumber to do electrical work. Seriously. I know some countries aren't as up to scratch, but generally thy have their jobs to do - and they're fairly well all pencil-pushers/economists/engineers/teachers(lots of dips with Dip Eds)/lawyers etc . . . (oh, for the US/Russia etc... also spies)

[Norton]

China hasn't ensured their citizens abroad are vaccinated in most places

Most places not really my concern. They have in Thailand.
No reason what so ever why the US Embassy could not do same.
I have dealt with them for near 40 years in both a professional and retired capacity so very much aware of how they operate. To avoid work they will come up with all manner of reasons why they can't do.

[Klondyke]

Interesting to read similar debate on other expats forums where the members share their experience with embassies of Chinese and US, their very different approach to the Covid vaccination.

[harrybarracuda]

The fucking chinkies are hilarious. They simply don't understand irony.

China has reacted harshly to Japan's proposal to offer coronavirus vaccines to Taiwan, saying vaccine assistance should not be a political tool.

China condemns Japan offering vaccine to Taiwan | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

[panama hat]

Interesting to read similar debate on other expats forums where the members share their experience with embassies of Chinese and US, their very different approach to the Covid vaccination.

Share with us the other forums' 'similar debates'. What does the Russian forum say about the Chinese vaccination?
Thank you <no names here, please>

[harrybarracuda]

The US is approaching 300m vaccines delivered.

[harrybarracuda]

The UK has announced zero daily Covid deaths within 28 days of a positive test for the first time since March 2020.

Covid: Zero daily deaths announced in UK for first time - BBC News

[harrybarracuda]

No doubt this will get the chinkies whinging as well.

President Joe Biden has finalized his plan to distribute millions of coronavirus vaccines worldwide after months of deliberation, according to multiple sources familiar with the plans.Secretary of State Antony Blinken hinted earlier that an announcement was imminent, and the sources familiar with the plans said that officials could reveal it as soon as Thursday or Friday.

"In a few short days, in fact possibly as early as tomorrow, the President is going to announce in more detail the plan that he's put together to push out 80 million vaccines around the world that we have at our disposal or soon will have at our disposal," Blinken said Wednesday at the US Embassy in Costa Rica.

Touting the US contribution of $2 billion to the World Health Organization vaccination effort, COVAX, and another $2 billion pledge to be given between now and the end of 2022, Blinken told CNN Español on Wednesday that the US will distribute the doses without strings attached.

"We will begin to make available around the world, including in the hemisphere, 80 million vaccines that we now have access to that, we will, as I said, begin to make available," Blinken told CNNE.

Covid vaccines: White House prepared to announce next steps in US global vaccination effort after months of debate - CNNPolitics

[harrybarracuda]

This ought to shut up that eurotrash harridan.

Moderna to double EU vaccine manufacturing with new Dutch site

Moderna to double EU vaccine manufacturing with new Dutch site – POLITICO

[harrybarracuda]

Let's hope people can learn to stop munching bats.

China, Japan, Philippines and Thailand ‘Hotspots’ Favourable for Bats That Carry Coronaviruses: Study

China, Japan, Philippines and Thailand ‘Hotspots’ Favourable for Bats That Carry Coronaviruses: Study | 🌎 LatestLY

[harrybarracuda]

An interesting documentary about the antivax cretins. You need to register a free account and use a VPN to the UK (a free one works), unless someone downloads it and puts up a torrent.

The Anti-Vax Conspiracy - On Demand - All 4

[HermantheGerman]

This ought to shut up that eurotrash harridan.

Moderna to double EU vaccine manufacturing with new Dutch site – POLITICO

A bit late don't you think? By that time Europeans are already vaccinated.



....will allow Moderna to make approximately 300 million doses a year starting at the end of 2021

[harrybarracuda]

A bit late don't you think? By that time Europeans are already vaccinated.

....will allow Moderna to make approximately 300 million doses a year starting at the end of 2021

Are you joking my little squarehead friend?

So far, more than one-third (36.4%) of the EU's 450 million people have received at least one dose of a vaccine, while 16.4% have been fully vaccinated.

[HermantheGerman]

Are you joking my little squarehead friend?

Math and practical thinking is not your thing my friend (could be the reason why you don't get a job at home ?)

Before you embarrass yourself again please take into consideration that when Europe started and that not everyone wants to get vaccinated.

[harrybarracuda]

Math and practical thinking is not your thing my friend (could be the reason why you don't get a job at home ?)

Before you embarrass yourself again please take into consideration that when Europe started and that not everyone wants to get vaccinated.

I have no idea what that broken grammar is supposed to mean.

But it certainly doesn't support in any way that "By that time Europeans are already vaccinated."

Maybe you're just a bit surprised by the numbers and don't want to admit it.

[lom]

A bit late don't you think? By that time Europeans are already vaccinated.

and that lasts for their lifetime so Moderna's EU production is of no use. Is that what you say?

[panama hat]

That's an interesting question, actually.

Is this like the flu vaccine that we take every year? Surely not as it is easily placed, in terms of weather/season . . . whereas 19 isn't bound by any season.

[misskit]

COVID-19 far more widespread in Indonesia than official data show – studies

JAKARTA — COVID-19 is many times more prevalent in Indonesia than shown by official figures in the world’s fourth most populous country, authors of two new studies told Reuters.


The country of 270 million has recorded 1.83 million positive cases, but epidemiologists have long believed the true scale of the spread has been obscured by a lack of testing and contact tracing.


The results of Indonesia’s first major seroprevalence studies – which test for antibodies – were revealed exclusively to Reuters.


One nationwide study between December and January suggested 15% of Indonesians had already contracted COVID-19 – when official figures at the end of January had recorded infections among only around 0.4% of people.


Even now, Indonesia’s total positive infections are only around 0.7% of the population.


The results of the survey were not unexpected given under-reporting, said Pandu Riono, a University of Indonesia epidemiologist who worked on the study carried out with help from the World Health Organisation.

Siti Nadia Tarmizi, a senior health ministry official, said it was possible the study was preliminary, but there might be more cases than officially reported because many cases were asymptomatic.


She said Indonesia had low contact tracing and a lack of laboratories to process tests.


Based on blood tests, seroprevalence studies detect antibodies that show up in people who likely already contracted the disease. The official figures are largely based on swab tests, which detect the virus itself and only reveal those who have it at the time.


Antibodies develop one to three weeks after someone contracts the virus and stay in the body for months.



Weak testing


Seroprevalence studies in other countries – including India – have also revealed more widespread infections.


“Our official surveillance system cannot detect COVID-19 cases. It is weak,” said the principal investigator for the University of Indonesia study, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, who commented on it but was not authorized to confirm the figures.


“Contact tracing and testing in Indonesia is very poor and explains why so few cases are detected.”


Fellow study author Pandu said that although the study showed the wider spread of the virus, Indonesia still appeared to be far from achieving herd immunity – making it a priority to speed up vaccination.


Just 6% of Indonesia’s targeted population of 181 million have been fully vaccinated with two doses so far, while 9.4% have had one shot, according to government data.


Preliminary results of a separate seroprevalence study in Bali, done by the University of Udayana, found 17 percent of those tested in September and November appeared to have been infected, principal investigator Anak Agung Sagung Sawitri told Reuters.


That was 53 times higher than the rate of infection based on the cases officially recorded at the time on the tourist island, which is planning to reopen to international visitors next month.


The reopening is opposed by some public health experts, including academic and doctor Ady Wirawan.


“Testing, tracing, isolation, and quarantine is very, very weak in Bali,” he said.



COVID-19 far more widespread in Indonesia than official data show – studies | Inquirer News

[Klondyke]

Interesting figures - a different summarising:

Estimation of total mortality due to COVID-19

May 13, 2021

In the IHME estimation of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths to date, we have used officially reported COVID-19 deaths for nearly all locations. Since the release on May 6, 2021, we have switched to a new approach that relies on the estimation of total mortality due to COVID-19. There are several reasons that have led us to adopt this new approach. These reasons include the fact that testing capacity varies markedly across countries and within countries over time, which means that the reported COVID-19 deaths as a proportion of all deaths due to COVID-19 also vary markedly across countries and within countries over time. In addition, in many high-income countries, deaths from COVID-19 in older individuals, especially in long-term care facilities, went unrecorded in the first few months of the pandemic. In other countries, such as Ecuador, Peru, and the Russian Federation, the discrepancy between reported deaths and analyses of death rates compared to expected death rates, sometimes referred to as “excess mortality,” suggests that the total COVID-19 death rate is many multiples larger than official reports. Estimating the total COVID-19 death rate is important both for modeling the transmission dynamics of the disease to make better forecasts, and also for understanding the drivers of larger and smaller epidemics across different countries.

Our approach to estimating the total COVID-19 death rate is based on measurement of the excess death rate during the pandemic week by week compared to what would have been expected based on past trends and seasonality. However, the excess death rate does not equal the total COVID-19 death rate. Excess mortality is influenced by six drivers of all-cause mortality that relate to the pandemic and the social distancing mandates that came with the pandemic. These six drivers are: a) the total COVID-19 death rate, that is, all deaths directly related to COVID-19 infection; b) the increase in mortality due to needed health care being delayed or deferred during the pandemic; c) the increase in mortality due to increases in mental health disorders including depression, increased alcohol use, and increased opioid use; d) the reduction in mortality due to decreases in injuries because of general reductions in mobility associated with social distancing mandates; e) the reductions in mortality due to reduced transmission of other viruses, most notably influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and measles; and f) the reductions in mortality due to some chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory disease, that occur when frail individuals who would have died from these conditions died earlier from COVID-19 instead. To correctly estimate the total COVID-19 mortality, we need to take into account all six of these drivers of change in mortality that have happened since the onset of the pandemic.

Read more and see diagrams
Estimation of total mortality due to COVID-19 | Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

[HuangLao]

That's an interesting question, actually.

Is this like the flu vaccine that we take every year? Surely not as it is easily placed, in terms of weather/season . . . whereas 19 isn't bound by any season.

Well....according to the experts who study/research these things, it's already been reasonably suggested that a 10/12 month booster might be required, as the single inoculation is not full-proof for long term. And well understood within scientific/health communities that 19 mutates and modifies, quite often into more potent variants. All of which suggest that vaccines "boosters" will have to be tweaked to accommodate the current strain that cycles around.
Though, there are certainly debates and differing theories regarding these scenarios. SARS-CoV-2 might be circulating for years.....or, might just disappear outta the blue.